Hillary Clinton talks post-State Dept. priorities

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to the Clinton Global Initiative conference in Chicago Thursday, outlining her priorities now that she’s officially part of the organization.

In one of her most high-profile speeches since she left her post as Secretary of State, Clinton said she’ll focus her attention on three causes that that have been “close to my heart”: early childhood development, opportunities for women and girls, and economic development.

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On early childhood development, Clinton noted that countries like China and the United Kingdom have done a better job at prioritizing early childhood education than the United States has.

She lamented the relative lack of women on corporate boards or in positions of leadership — including politics — and cited the Economist’s “Glass Ceiling Index” as proof that the United States has a long way to go.

“When women participate in politics, the effects ripple out across society,” she said, her loudest applause line of the speech.

Clinton said economic development is especially important for the country’s young people, who have a much higher unemployment rate than older adults.

“There are important debates to be had about what government policies can best encourage growth. … but this can’t just be a conversation about Washington, we all need to do our part,” she said. “That’s really what CGI America is designed to do as well: to bring together the best ideas wherever they come from.”

Clinton said she had three main takeaways from her time and travels as Secretary of State: the universal desire for a “good job” around the world, the importance of American values and the benefits of working together.

“Our country’s greatest advantage lies in the values that remain at the heart of the American experiment: freedom, equality and opportunity,” she said. “… Technology and globalization are remaking our economy and our society, but our values still inspire the world and they still can guide our way forward.”